Author Q&A: Randa Jarrar

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Randa Jarrar grew up in Kuwait and moved back to the United States after the first Gulf War. Her work has appeared in Ploughshares, Five Chapters, Guernica, The Oxford American, The New York Times Magazine, The Utne Reader, and The Progressive. She has received residencies from Hedgebrook and the Eastern Frontier and was chosen to take part in Beirut39, which celebrates the 39 most gifted writers of Arab origin under the age of 40. She has an MFA from the University of Michigan, where A Map of Home won a Hopwood Award. The book also won an Arab-American Book Award, and was named one of the best novels of 2008 by the Barnes and Noble Review.

THE BOOK BASICS

 

• A book you wish you'd written:

 Autobiography of Red, Anne Carson

• A book you think everyone should read at least once in their lifetime:

To the Lighthouse [by Virginia Woolf]

• The book you'd like to read again for the first time:

Jazz, Toni Morrison, Toni Morrison

Q: I consider A Map of Home one of the best contemporary pieces of Arab-American fiction - and that's saying something, considering I don't find many that fall under that genre, or they don't get as much exposure. Did you encounter difficulties while writing and getting the book published?

A: Thank you so much for saying so. The book took 2 years to sell, and 2.5 years after that to be published. During those 4.5 years, I seriously doubted it would ever see the light of day. It wasn't until I actually held the advanced reader copy that I realized it would really be available to readers, and I wept. Every journey to publication must have its arduous moments, but mine felt truly torturous. I'm glad it's out and the wait is over.

Q: Nidali is one of the most memorable narrators I've read in my 20 years of existence (okay, a bit of an exaggeration - my earliest memory of a book I read was around the time I was seven), and while reading the book, I can't help but think that she's actually you, and this is actually your story. Was A Map of Home part memoir, part work of fiction? Which of your personal experiences did you incorporate in the book?

A: The novel is a fiction. Like all fiction writers, I used parts of myself to inform certain characters, but I had to do lots of research about the Middle East, the geography of Kuwait and Egypt, and the 1st Gulf War.

Q: One of the things that struck me most about Nidali is her potty mouth - and her no-nonsense approach to talking about sex (I still can't get over the bidet, haha). She's brought up in Kuwait then moved to Egypt, where I think the majority of society still hold conservative views when it comes to women. But not Nidali - she reminds me of Holden Caulfield from J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. Has anybody told you this, or am I crazy in comparing Nidali to Caulfield?

A: People have mentioned that in reviews. The funny thing is, I've never read The Catcher in the Rye. I thumbed through it in high school but it didn't appeal to me. I was more interested in poetry then, anyway, but I think I understand the connection. Nidali came to me like that; profane and rebellious. I'm not interested in being a good girl or writing about good girls. ;)

Q: I like how you decided to use the first-person voice instead of an unseen narrator because that made it easier for me to relate to her and how she's feeling. Was this how you initially wrote the book? Were there other revisions in the story, like a subplot that got cut or a part that got revised?

A: Nidali was always a 1st person voice. I can't imagine the book any other way. I'm glad it helps the reader relate to her, but that wasn't a conscious choice on my part. I just wanted to write in a voice that interested and entertained me!

Q: What's your favorite scene in the book?

A: Probably any of the scenes set in Alexandria. I love the romanticized version of that city, the version that lives in my mind.

Q: Are you working on a new book right now? Will we be reading what happens to Nidali after A Map of Home?

A: I don't think I'll ever write a sequel, because Nidali stopped narrating her story years ago. I *am* working on a new book about a young woman, she's about 19. She's just as sassy as Nidali was, but her journey is very different.

Read my review of A Map of Home here. Find out more on Randa Jarrar's blog. You can also follow her on Twitter. ☞ [buy the book]

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Author Q&A: Robin Spano

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Robin Spano grew up in downtown Toronto, Canada and was a physics major in New Brunswick before she dropped out to travel North America on her motorcycle - a 1987 Virago she bought with her waitressing tips when she was 21. She loves to explore the world  on her boat or motorcycle, and traveling to new places with her husband. A full-time writer, she is currently working on the second book of her Clare Vengel series.

THE BOOK BASICS

 

• A book you think everyone should read at least once in their lifetime:

 Eat, Pray, Love. It made me feel strong; it reminded me of the power of the mind and the value of constant compassion.

• The book you last read:

Looks Perfect, by Kim Moritsugu. I loved it – I don’t know how it’s classified officially, but for me it was like chick lit grabs a brain. Enjoyable, quick, and lots of food for reflection. Seriously good writing, too – not a word out of place. Kim is one of my favorite writers.

• A book you're currently reading:

Still Life, by Louise Penny. I love this one too. (I’m quick to put a book down if I don’t love it.) It’s a murder mystery, and right from page 1 the characters have been vibrant and warm. Again, the writing is excellent.

Q: The protagonist in the story, Clare Vengel, struck me as the modern-day Canadian version of Nancy Drew. Was Nancy Drew an inspiration for the character? What or who were the other inspirations for Clare, as well as for the other characters

A: Cool question. Nancy Drew was the first sleuth I read about, so I’m sure her influence must have filtered in somehow. But consciously, I don’t think Clare was influenced by anyone – except maybe a modern solo Charlie’s Angel.

Q: The book is heavy with relevant political issues as to date: homelessness, the environment, politicians who aren't really worth the taxpayers' money. You seen to know a lot about these things. Are you, by any chance, a Political Science graduate yourself?  Which of your personal experiences did you incorporate in the book?

A: I’m not a poli sci grad (I studied physics and dropped out), but I am intrigued by politics. It gets under my skin when public money is wasted. We work hard for the taxes we pay – and I’m fine with high taxes if there’s value for it. But too often that money is frittered away on non-essential things instead of being used to address real issues. We have enough money and collective brainpower to solve a lot of the world’s problems, and it bothers me that most of the time we choose not to.

This book isn’t meant to solve any of these problems – at its heart, it’s just a light, fun read – but I enjoyed asking the questions as I was writing.

Q: The one thing that kept me turning the page was how right from the start you made everyone appear guilty, from the professor to every single one of the students; I was even wondering if Brian's mother was the killer (haha). The title Dead Politician Society is just spot-on, and you mentioned in your acknowledgments that it was your dad's idea. How did he come up with it?

A: He pulled it out of his head in two seconds when I asked him on the phone one day. He doesn’t like the new title as well as the working title (Dead Politicians), which he still lets me know any time the subject comes up!

Q: I like how you jumped third-person narration from character to character; normally I'd be confused with a lot of different POVs, but I quite enjoyed it in your book. Did you originally plan to write the book this way, or did you pick it up as you wrote along?

A: I’m glad you liked the jumping narration! No, I had no plan. The book started writing itself, and I went with it. Before this, I’d only written first person present tense (and never crime), so Dead Politician Society was a total departure.

Q: Were there other revisions in the story, like a subplot that got cut or a part that got revised?

A: Tons. The original version had too many characters and the killer was way too obvious. So I cut out half the characters, merged two people into one in a couple of cases, and threw in some extra red herrings. Roberta came in when someone suggested that Clare should have a mentor and a place where she could be herself (i.e., not undercover), so readers could get to know the real her. There were many more revisions, too – I had some really good advice along the way.

Q: What's your favorite scene in the book?

A: I try not to marry a particular scene (in case it needs to get cut), but I like the scene where Matthew’s car breaks down and Clare fixes it.

Q: Are you working on a new book right now? What's next for Clare Vengel?

A: I sure am working. Next up, Clare goes undercover as a poker player at a major televised tournament. High profile poker players are being strangled in their hotel rooms, and it’s Clare’s job to figure out who’s killing them. She’s posing as a trust fund princess in designer clothes, which is a fun twist because she hates fashion and pretense of any sort. And her love life heats up in a big way.

Read my review of Dead Politician Society here. Find out more on Robin Spano's blog. You can also follow her on Twitter, and like Clare Vengel on Facebook. ☞ [buy the book]

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